This invention relates generally to a control system and more particularly to a control system and method of use for aligning a piston assembly with a cylinder of an internal combustion engine.
Internal combustion engines include a vast array of components which need to be assembled in a very precise manner. This ensures that the internal combustion engine is working in an efficient manner within its design parameters. However, the assembly of an internal combustion engine is both time consuming and arduous even for the most experienced technician, taking many hours or even days to properly assemble the many components.
In assembling an internal combustion engine, the technician manually performs many of the assembly steps, even those steps which require aligning heavy and awkward components with the engine block, such as aligning piston assemblies with respective cylinders of an engine block. In the example of aligning the piston assemblies with respective cylinders, the technician first assembles the piston assembly by connecting a connecting rod to the piston with a pin and placing rings within grooves of the piston crown. Once the rings are placed within the grooves, the technician then places the piston and rings within a piston ring compressor. The piston ring compressor compresses the piston rings within the grooves of the piston crown so that the piston assembly can be properly inserted within the cylinder.
Once the piston assembly is inserted within the piston ring compressor, the technician manually lifts the piston assembly including the piston ring compressor and manually aligns the piston with the cylinder. This is a very difficult assembly step, especially since the combination of the piston ring compressor and piston assembly may weigh upwards of twenty five (25) kilograms (approximately fifty five (55) pounds) or more in those cases when the piston assembly is used in large internal combustion engines. This makes the lifting and aligning steps very awkward and cumbersome.
In order-to solve this problem, it is not uncommon for a second technician to assist in either the lifting or aligning steps. The second technician can thus ensure that the piston assembly is properly aligned with the cylinder of the engine block and especially that the connecting rod is properly aligned with and connected to the crankshaft. This solution is not very efficient, however, and typically leads to higher manufacturing and production costs. This is simply because two technicians are needed to lift and/or align the piston assembly.
The present invention is directed to overcoming one or more of the problems as set forth above.
In one aspect of the present invention a control system for aligning a piston assembly with a cylinder of an engine block is provided. The control system has an apparatus which compares positional information associated with the piston assembly and an apparatus which instructs movement of the piston assembly with respect to the cylinder.
In another aspect of the present invention a method for controlling alignment of the piston assembly with respect to the cylinder is provided. The positional information of the piston assembly is compared with respect to the engine block, and the piston assembly is aligned with the cylinder in response to the positional information.